Electrical interlock



Apnl 18 1933' R. s. PEELLE ELECTRICAL INTERLOCK Original Filed April 27,1928 ENTOAR ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE'r ROBERT S. PEELLE,OF HOLLIS, NEWv YORK, ASSIGOR TO THE PEELLE COMPANY, F1

BB-OGKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPGRATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRICAL INTECRLOCKApplication filed April 27, i928, Serial No. 273,851. Renewed Gctober28, 1932.

My invention relates to electrical interlocks, and more particularly toa mechanism `of this kind which is operated as a result of the movementof the door in connection with which it is used, and has associatedtherewith a lock member operative'to prevent the opening of a door atany time excepting when a car is in a predetermined position in relationto said lock member and the door controlled thereby.

It is a common practice to close door openings of elevator and othershafts, such as duinbwaiter shafts, by means of a. vertically slidablepanel or panels. The most common door of this type, consists of twosections,

having at each side flexible connections running from one section to theother section and passing over sheaves so as toca-use simultaneousvertical movement of both sections in opposite directions. Single panelslide-up and slide-down doors are sometimes used however, my inventionbeing applicable to any door having vertical movement irrespective ofthe detailed construction of this door.

The object of my present invention is to provide an electrical interlockwherein, when the door is in the closed position, the locking mechanismwill be operative to prevent not only the opening of the door but theactuation of the interlock in a manner to interrupt the circuit to themotor actuating the elevator or dumbwaiter car, until the latter reachesa position adjacent the door controlled by said lock member.

In an installation of doors of the type to which my invention may beapplied, there is ordinarily a series of door openings in the shaft,each of which is equipped with an interlock embodying the invention soas to permit the operation of the car only when all doors in the shaftare closed.

The lock mechanism embodied in the structure of my invention isautomatic in all of its operations, the means carried by the'carco-operating therewith for the purpose of permitting the opening of adoor being disengaged from this mechanism until opening movement isimparted to the door, or until the door is completelyclosed. Thiscondition avoids the actuation of the locking mechanism of each door asa result of the travel of the car as the latter passes each openingclosed by a door. Y.

lhile the locking mechanism of my invention is operative at all timesexcepting when an` elevator car is adjacent thereto, to prevent theopening of the door, there is, under normal conditions, no interlockingrelation between the latch mechanism and the keeper member of the door,these parts coming into the operative relation to prevent movement ofthe door only in the event of an attempt to open the door. In fact, thekeeper member and the latch member are soV constructed'that when thedoor is fully closed, the means co-operating with the car to permit theopening of the door is? normally so positioned as not to. be engaged bythe car during the travel thereof. Since the switch mechanism of theelectric interlock is actuated as a result of the movement of a doorpanel, and since it is essential to maintain a closed circuit by thismechamember of thisV Y nism during a short movement of the door 'sectionnecessary for the actuation 0f the cooperating lock mechanism, Iprovidea special construction of electric interlock switch mechanism control tomeet the conditions of actual use, although the general construction andarrangement of the switch mechanism is old in the arts. L

The invention consists primarily in a device of the character describedembodying therein the combination with a vertically slidable door, of'aswitch mechanism including cooperating movable and fixed Contactmembers, and means acting to normally-disengage said contact members, anoscillatory latch member associated with said switch mechanism, and akeeper bar immovably secured to and movable with said slidable dooradapted to actuate said movable contact member and t'o be operativelyengaged `by said latch member; and in such other novel features ofconstruction and combination ofparts, as are hereinafterset forth anddescribed, and more particularlypointed out in the claims heretoappended. Referring to the drawing, Y K Fig. l is a view of afragmentary portion of a door structure embodying oppositely andvertically movable panels, and having associated therewith an electricalinterlock embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof partly in section; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Likenumerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawing, the invention is illustrated in connectionwith a dumbwaiter door structure, but is equally applicable to elevatordoors by a mere change in the dimension of parts and increased strengthof the materials used. While it is shown as being operable upon theupper door section, which is preferable because the locking of thissection will prevent any movement of the lower section when oppositelysliding sections are used, it is apparent that by merely reversing thewhole attachment when assembling in relation to the door ystructure itmay be also used in connection with a lock bar upon this lower section.lVhatever its manner of use, the operative effec-t, and the resultssecured, will be the same.

" VIn the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, 10 indicatesthe upper secside of the door is shown at 12. This contop of the block22.

struction is merely typical of one construction of door with which thelock of my invention may beused.

The door sectionslO and 11 are mounted in suitable guideways 13 within ashaft in which a car 14 moves upwardly or downwardly. (See Fig. 3.)

Mounted adjacent the meeting line of the two sections 10 and 11 when thedoor is closed, is a switch housing 15 having a flange 16, by means ofwhich it is secured in relation to the rail structure and to the wall ofthe shaft. v Y

Carried by and insulated from this housing are two spaced contactmembers 17 and 18 co-operating with which is a movable bridge contactmember 19, slidably mounted upon a stem 20 of a plunger 21. This plungeris of insulating material and the contact members v17 and 18 are carriedby an insulating block 22, a suitable insulating lining 23 beingprovided for the housing 15 adjacent this block. The casing 15 hasopposite bearing openings forV the insulated plunger 21 and the lowerend of the stem 20. A lined guide plate 24 for the stem 20 is secured tothe Encircl.' ng the stem 20 and secured thereto is a spring 25 bearingagainst the movable contact member 19, which spring not only impartsmovement from the stem 2O to the contact member 19, but permits movementof said stem after the engagement of said contact member 19 with thefixed contact members 17 and 18.

Acting upon the under face of the contact member 19 and seated in aspring seat formed in the block 22, is a restoring spring 26 having thenormal function of moving the movable contact member 19 away from thefired contact members 17 and 18, and through the spring 25, of movingthe plunger 21 outwardly of the housing 15.

The above construction establishes a condition where the contact member19 will be automatically disengaged from the contact members 17 and 18when'the plunger 21 is free to move outwardly of the casing 15 as a dooris opened, and will have movement with said plunger 21toward vsaid fixedcontact members 17 and 18 as a door is closed. By this condition, whenthe plunger 21 is free to have movement outwardly of the casing, thecircuit controlled by the contact.

members 17, 18 and 19 will be opened, but when the plunger 21 is forcedinwardly of said housing, said circuit will be closed.

The circuit controlled by the contact members 17, 18 and 19 is thatutilized for imparting movement to the car, and hence the switchmechanism may be so actuated as to prevent the application of power tothe car except when the doors are in the fully closed posit-ion. ThisVis the function of the ordinary electrical interlock and no claim ofinvention is made thereto.

The purpose of the present invention, is to so combine an'interlockhaving the above characteristics with a locking mechanism that when thedoors are in the closed position and the interlock is so set as to closethe circuit for operating the ear, this condition cannot be disturbedunless the car is at an openinO closed by the door with which theinterlock is associated. y

To secure this result, l provide a latch lever y27 pivotally mountedupon the housing 15 of the interlock, which lever is provided with ahooked end 28 having a bevel 29 at the end of one arm thereof, and anoffset member 30 carrying an impact roller 31 at the other end thereof.The offset member 30 is pivoted at 32 to one arm of the latch lever 27and is adjustable about this pivot by means of the set screws 33 and 34.

` Carried by the door section 10, is a keeper bar 35 so formed as topass about the guide rail structure 13 and be brought into engagingrelation with the latch hook V28 and the plunger 21, as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

By this construction, downward movenient of the door section 10 will,when the door is fully closed, force the plunger 21 inwardly of thehousing l as a result of the engagement of the keeper bar 35 therewith,and at the same time will bring thiskeeper bar into operative relationwith the hooked end 28 of the latch lever 27. If the hooked end 28 wereto be engaged with the keeper bar .35, the impact roller 31 would bepositioned inwardly of the shaft to an extent to be engaged by a cam orstriker plate 36 occupying a fixed position on the car. With thisarrangement, as the car progressed upwardly or downwardly through theshaft, each latch mechanism would be actuated thus causing noise and anundue wearrof parts.

To avoid this condition, my invention con`l templates a construction inwhich, while the keeper bar upon the closing of the door, will bebrought into the operative relation to the latch member, the latchmember will not be -f permitted to engage said keeper bar unless anattempt be made to open the door, The construction is such that when thedoor is closed, the hooked end 28 of the latch member will be out ofengaging relation with the keeper bar 35 and the impact member 31 willbe out of engaging relation with the cam or striker 36 upon the car.With the initial opening movement ofthe door, however, the hook 28 willimmediately be engaged with the keeper bar 35 unless movement of theimpact member 31 is prevented by the presence of the cam or striker memeber 36 in its path, which can occur only when a car is at the openingadjacent which the latch mechanism under consideration is situated. Y

To secure the above conditions, I provide the latch lever 27 with a cammember 37 positioned below the hooked end 28 of the latch lever adistance in excess of the depth of the keeper member 35 and so locatedthat when the doors are in the fully closedposition, the projecting endof said keeper bar 35, by engagement with said cam, will force the armof the latch lever 27 carrying the hooked end 28 inwardly of the shaftto an extent to position the impact member 31 toward the wall of theshaft and out of the path of the striker or cam 36 upon the car. Thelatch lever cam 37 does not interlock with the keeper bar 35 of the doorsection carrying same, and hence a limited opening movement of the dooris permitted, which movement, however, is insutlicient to cause thebreaking of the circuit controlled by the contact members 17, 18 and 19.l

Acting upon one arm of the latch lever 27 is a spring 38 having a normaltendency to impart such movement to the latch lever 27 as will engagethe hooked end 28 thereof with the keeper bar 35 when these parts are inthe proper co-operating relation and force the impact member 31 inwardlyof the shaft in the path of movement of the striker member or cams 36upon the car.

lever cam member 37, thus It is desired to'emphasize that when the dooris in the closed position, the hooked -end 28 of the latch lever 27isout of engaging relation with the keeper bar 35, and that the impactmember 31 is out of the path of the striker member. or cam 36, and yetwith the parts in this vposition it is impossible to open the doorexcept to an extent insutlicient toV actuate the interlock unless thestriker member or cam 36 is in aposition to Vbe engaged by the impactmember 31.

The reason for the above will `more fully appear with a detaileddescription of the mode of operation of the mechanism herein described,which follows In the accompanying drawing the door is shown in the fullyclosed position. Itwill be noted `that when in this position, the keeperbar 35 is engaged' with the plunger 2l, the

weight of the door holding the springsv and 26 .under compression andthe contactV members 17, 18 and 19 in engaging relation so asto closethe circuit controlled thereby. Said keeper bar is also engaged with thelatch hooked end 28 of said lever at one side of the plane of movementof the keeper bar 35, and the impact member 31 at one side of the planeof` movement of the striker or cam 36 carried by the car 14. Of coursethe spring '38 will be under tension at all times. With the aboveconditions, it will be noted that the elevator car may. pass any door ina shaft withoutrhaving any voperative eifect upon the locking mechanismof that door, and that there is no restraint upon'opening movement ofthe door so far as the interlocking of parts is concerned. vIn fact toall intents and purposes the door is not locked but will be locked onlyyin the event of an f attempt to open the door when a car is not presentat the opening closed thereby. 'For example, if with the relation ofparts as shown in Fig. 2 in full lines, the opening of the door beattempted, the keeper bar 35 in j its upward movement will be disengagedfrom the latch lever cam member 37 and permit the spring 38 to rock thelatch lever so as toy bring the hooked latch member 28 into the path ofmovement of, and engagement with, said keeper bar and'thus preventfurther'opening movement of the door, the latch lever assuming theposition shown in dotted lines. It will be. noted that the striker orcam 36 carried by the car 14 is not in the operative relation to theimpact member 31 and hence permits this movement of the latch lever 27.

The movement of the keeper bar 35, before its engagement rwith thehooked end 28 of the latch lever 27, is insuficient to permit movementof the plunger 21 outwardly of thehousing 15 to an extent to disengagethe contact members 17, 18 and 19.

If, however, the striker or cam 36 is in positioning the free Cil

the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, movement ofthe latch lever27" is prevented, owing to the engagement of the impact member 3l withthe striker or cam 36. Hence when the elevator car is properlypositioned in relation to the door structure so that the opening of thedoor cannot result in the e2:- posure of the shaft from the floor sideof the shaft opening in a manner which might result in an accident, thedoor may be opened.

The interposition of the striker or cam 36 in the path ofmovement of theimpact member 31 does not in any sense release the lock upon the door,but merely prevents the setting of the lock.

A striker or cam 36 is used upon the car 14: so that if a door is notfully closed, but the hooked member 28 of the latch lever 2 7 isnevertheless engaged with the keeper bar 35, there will be nointerference withV the travel of the elevator or dumbwaiter car.

The locking mechanism and its appurtenances are in their entirety withinthe shaft and inaccessible from the Yfloor side of the shaft opening,and hence cannot be interfered with.

The interlock of the invention may be effectively used with one or moreshaft openings, although equipment of this kind is usually employed onlywhen there are a considerable number of openings in a shaft and whenpower operated cars are used.

When opening a door, very slight movement of the keeper bar 35 beyondthe hooked end 28 of the latch lever will result in the interruption ofthe circuit by the movementofthe Contact member 19 out of engagingrelation with the fixed contact members 17 and 18, the spring 26 causingthis separation of the contacts as well as the upward movement of theplunger 2l. v

Under normal conditions, the tension of the springs 25 and 26 will bebalanced. With the inward movement of the plunger 2l, the tension of thespring 25 will over-balance that of the spring 26, but with thedisengagement of the keeper bar 35 from said plunger i 2l, both springswill act to move this plunger upwardly through its stem 20. `The spring26, however, is relied upon solely to move the contact member 19 awayfrom the contactmembers 17 and 18. Both springs are of fairly lighttension so as to avoid any possible movement of the door thereby. rlhespring 25 is provided merely for the Vpurpose of permitting movement ofthe plunger in excess of that required to bring the ycontact membersinto the engaging relation necessary to close the circuit controlledthereby. This avoids any eXtreme nicety in the adjustment of thecontacts or in the movements of the plunger under the control of thedoor section, and at the same time permits that slight movement of thekeeper bar which results in the setting of the lock in the manner above.electrical interlock. When so used, the electrical features of thedevice, as to the lock mechanism `on oneside of the door, may bedispensed Vwith entirely.

The functioning of the lock mechanism of my invention is entirelyautomatic, being con- -trolledeither by the position of the car in theshaft or by the movements of the door.

When a door is closed, although it is not locked, it cannot be openedexcept under conditions determined by the location of the car withrelation to the opening closed by the door. If it be attempted to openthe door when the car is not in the proper position, the lockingmechanism, will automatically function to prevent a movement of the doorsuflicient to permit access to the shaft or to cause the interruption ofthe application .of power to the car. The arrangement of parts is suchthat the power for operating the car cannot be interrupted exceptingwhen the car is opposite a shaft opening.

Ordinarily the car equipment is such that the limits of ltravel of thecar are predetermined by the character of the installation, or' by itsautomatic controls, the construction and mode of koperation of the lockmechanism being such that it is especially adapted for use with cars inwhich the control of the doors is entirely from the floor side of theshaft. Of course the lock mechanism may be effectively used when the carhas an occupant or an operator, if it be applied to freight elevatorcars, but its special field of utility is in connection with elevator ordumbwaiter equipment where the car is-moved from fioor to floor underhall' controls and the doors are required to be opened from the floorside of the shaft.`

Under ordinary circumstances, the function ofthe device is such that adoor may be opened only when the car is at rest adjacent ,the shaftopening closed thereby. lVhile the length of the striker or cam 36affords a the movement of the door with the movement of the car, the.door at any loor might be opened just as theV car reaches that floor.This, however, will not introduce any factor danger to the one openingthe door since the power of the car would be immediately interrupted. Y

The construction and arrangement of parts is such, however, that a largemeasurev of se Having described the invention,` what I claim as new anddesire to. have protected byI Letters Patent, is

l. A device of the character described embodyingtherein the combinationwith a vertically slidable door, of a switch mechanism includingco-operating movable and fixed contact members, and means acting tonormally disengage said contact members, an oscillatory latch memberassociated with said switch mechanism, and a keeper Ybar immovablysecured to and movable with said slidable door adapted to actuate saidmovable contact member and to be operatively engaged by said latchmember.

2. A device of the character described embodying therein the combinationwithl a vertically slidable door, of a switch mechanism -includingco-operating movable and iXed Contact members, and means acting tonormally disengage said contact members, an oscillatory latch memberassociated with said switch mechanism, a keeper bar immovably secured toand movable with said slidable door adapted to actuate said movablecontact member and to be operatively engaged by said latch member, meanstending to normally engage said latch member with said keeper, a camhaving movement with a car, and an impact member carried by said latchmember and engageable by said cam to prevent the engagement of saidlatch member with said keeper.

3. A device of the character described embodying therein the combinationwith a vertically slidable door, of a switch mechanism includingco-operating movable and Xed contact members, and means acting tonormally disengage said Contact members, a latch member associated withsaid switch mechanism, a keeper carried by and movable with saidslidable door adapted to actuate said movable contact member and to beoperatively engaged by said latch member,

controlled by that of the means tending to vnorlilally.'engage saidlatch member with Y said keeper, a cam having movement with` a car, anVimpact member carried by said latch member and engageable by said camto preventthe engagement of said latclrmember with -said keeper, andmeans engageable by said keeper whereby said latch member,when the doorispclosed, is normally held out of engagement with said keeper, but ispermitted to engage said keeper upon opening movement of the doorunlesssaid cam is in the operative relation to said.

impact member, and said impact member is normally held out of the ofsaid cam. Y

1l. A device of the character described em.- bodying therein thecombination with a vertically slidable door, a switch mechanismvincluding co-operating movable and iXed Contact members, means acting tonormally disengage said contact members, a keeper carried by and movablelwith said slidableV door adapted to actuate said movable contactmember, a latch lever mounted adjacent said switch mechanism having ahooked member at one end adapted to operatively engage said keeper,and acam adjacent said hooked member also adapted to be engaged# by saidkeeper and normally maintain said hooked end out of engagingrelationtherewith when a door is closed, means tending to normallyengage said hooked end with said keeper, a cam having movement with acar, and an impact member carried by said latch lever` and engageable bysaid cam to prevent the engagement of said hooked end with said keeper,said impact member being normally held out of the path of said cam whenthe door is closed by the engagement of said keep.- er with the cam uponsaid latch lever.

5. A device of the characted described embodying therein thecombinationwith a vertically slidable door, of a switch vmechanism path of movementincluding spaced iixed contacts, a movable i plunger, a movablefcontactcarried byy said plunger, means whereby said movable contact will havemovement with saidplunger and said plunger may lhave movement in eX-cess of the movement of said movable contact, and means adaptedtordisengage said movable contact from said liXed contacts and impartmovement to said plunger, .an oscillatory latch member associated withsaid switch mechanism, a keeper bar immovably secured to and movablewith said slidable door adapted to operatively engage said plunger andto'be operatively engaged by said latch member, means tending to nor.-k

nially engage said latch member with .said keeper, a cam having movementwith the car, and an impact member carried by said `latch member andengageable by said cam to pre.-j

vent the engagement of said latch member with said keeper.

6. A device of the character described em.-

3.073 bodying ther-ein `50 able with a vertically bodyfingtherein thecombination` with -a vertically slidable door,I a switch mechanismincluding' spaced Xed contacts, a movable ,plunger, a movable vcontactcarried by said fplunger, means whereby said movable contact will havemovement with said plunger and said plunger may have movement in excessof the movement of said movable contact.I and vmeans adapted todisengage said movable lcontact from said fixed contacts and impartmovement to said plunger, a latch lever mounted adjacent said switchmechanism having a hooked member at one end adapted to operativelyengage said keeper, and a cam l'5i-"adjacent said hooked member alsoadapted to be engaged by sai-d keeper and normally maintain said hookedend out of engaging relation therewith when a door is closed, meanstending to normally engage said 203hooked end with said keeper, a camhaving m-ovement with a car, and an impact member carried by said latchlever and engageable by said cam to prevent the engagement of said4hooked end with said keeper, said im- 'pact member being normally' heldout of the i also adapted to be engaged by said keeper to'normallymaintain said hooked end out of engaging relation therewith when a dooris closed, means tending to normally engage saidl hooked end with saidkeeper, a cam 5103 having movement with a car, and an impact membercarried by said latch lever and engageable by said cam to prevent theengagement of said'hooked end with said keeper, said impact member beingnormally held out 455 of the path of said cam when the door is closed bythe engagement of said keeper with th-e cam upon said latch lever.

8. A device of the character described em-v bodying therein akeepercarried by and mov slidable door, a-latch lever having a hookedmember at one end adapted to operatively engage said keeper, and a camadjacent said hooked member and also a-dapted to be engaged by saidkeeper to f normally maintain said hooked lend out of engaging relationtherewith when a door is-y closed, means tending to normally engage saidhooked 'end with said keeper, a cam having movement with a car,

"6U an arm adjustably mounted in relation to the end of'said leveropposite said hook, and an impact member carried by said arm andengageable by said cam to prevent the engagement of said hooked end withsaid keeper,

- said impact member being normally held out of theJpath of said camwhen the door is closed by the engagement of said keeperwith the camupon said latch lever.

9. A device of the character described embodying therein the combinationwith a vertically slidable door, of a switch mechanism includingco-operating movable and iXedV contact members, and means acting tonormally disengage said contact members, .an oscillatory latch memberassociated with sai-fl switch mechanism, a keeper bar immovably securedand movable with said slid-able door adapted toactuate said movablecontact member and to be operatively 4engaged by said latch member,means tending to engage said latch member with said keeper bar, a membercarried by a car, and means engageable with said member, whereby theengagementV of sai-d latch member with said keeper bar is prevented.

l0. A device of the character described embodying therein thecombinationwith a vertically slidable door, of a switch mechanism includingco-operating movable and fixed contact members, and means acting tonormally disengage said contact members, a latch member associated withsaid switch 1nechanism, means carried by and movable with said slid-abledoor adapted to actuate said movable contact member and to beoperatively engaged by sai-d latch member, means tendf ing to engagesaid latch member with said means carried by andmcvable with the door,means carried by said latch member adapted to engage said means carri-edby and movable with the door, whereby when sai-d door is fully closed,engagement oi' said latch member with the means co-operating therewithis prevented, and means engageable with a member c-arried bya car,whereby the engagement of said latch member with said means carried byand movable with the door is prevented. Y

In witness whereof I have hereunto aiixed my signature, this25th day ofApril, 1928.

ROBERT S. PEELLE.

llO

